Where’s the nearest MDC?
For the Heartland district (the Microsoft territory that I’m assigned to), we’re promoting Detroit (JAN 22). However, that might not make sense for my friends in Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. So, be aware that there are quality speakers in Atlanta (DEC 16) and Dallas (JAN 26). There are other cities.
Also, there are a few complimentary passes floating around, so contact your local Microsoft employee to inquire.
You’ve hopefully heard of the MSDN Developer Conference. Here’s the short description: We’re bringing the PDC to you! For just $99 you’ll get the best of the PDC in your own backyard and hear all of the exciting announcements around the Azure Services Platform and Windows 7. Other sessions include the latest developments in .NET, Silverlight, Surface, Parallel Programming, Live Mesh, and more.